Posted!

Join the Conversation

Comments

Welcome to our new and improved comments, which are for subscribers only.
This is a test to see whether we can improve the experience for you.
You do not need a Facebook profile to participate.

You will need to register before adding a comment.
Typed comments will be lost if you are not logged in.

Please be polite.
It's OK to disagree with someone's ideas, but personal attacks, insults, threats, hate speech, advocating violence and other violations can result in a ban.
If you see comments in violation of our community guidelines, please report them.

No. 1 Ducks softball closing in on Pac-12 championship

Oregon's Hailey Decker celebrates her second home run of the third inning against Washington at Howe Field, on Sunday, March 29, 2015, in Eugene. Oregon won the game 15-6 in 5 innings.(Photo: BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal)Buy Photo

The No. 1-ranked Oregon softball team has a lot at stake this week at No. 17 Arizona in the final three-game series of the regular season.

The Ducks, who have won 14 games in a row, maintain a one-game lead ahead of No. 6 UCLA in the Pac-12 standings, and a sweep of the Wildcats would give Oregon a third consecutive conference championship.

The Ducks, who have bounced back-and-forth in the national rankings between No. 1 and No. 2 this season, are 44-5, including 19-2 in the Pac-12

Oregon hasn't lost since April 3, when it fell 8-1 at UCLA. The Ducks bounced back to win the final two games of that series, and haven't lost since.

Oregon is expected to be among the top eight seeds, meaning the Ducks would host a regional as well as a super regional, should they make it that far.

One of the key players for the Ducks this season has been junior first baseman Hailey Decker, from McNary High School, who transferred to Oregon after playing two seasons at Nebraska.

Decker, who is batting .333, is second on the team with 10 home runs, and tied for third with 36 runs scored.

Other key players include freshman infielder Jenna Lilley, who is batting .441 and leads the Ducks with 54 runs scored and 14 doubles, and junior pitcher Cheridan Hawkins, who is 25-3 with a 1.18 ERA this season.